The present invention relates to conveying apparatuses for flexible, flat articles arising in an imbricated formation according to the preamble to claims 1 and 10.
Conveying apparatuses of this type are disclosed by Swiss Patent No. 559692 and by the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,564. A continuously revolving driven conveying mechanism has a roller chain and endless rubber sections fitted to both ends of the link pins of this roller chain. These sections form a support for the imbricated stream to be transported. At the start and at the end of the transport section, the conveying mechanism is led around sprockets. Fastened to the chain at a distance one after another are guide carriages which are led between the sprockets in hollow rails. From each of the guide carriages, there extend, to either side, a sleeve-like gripper outrigger to whose free ends movable gripper jaws are hinged. Fixed jaws arranged on the gripper outrigger, and the movable jaws, are intended to grip the imbricated formation at the two lateral channel sections. A transport belt is intended to feed the imbricated formation, resting freely, to the conveyor, the conveying mechanism coming to bear on the free flat side of the imbricated formation in the region of the sprocket. Connected directly downstream of the transport belt is a further conveying mechanism, which is designed in the manner of a chain-roller belt, driven so as to circulate and, together with the conveying mechanism deflected around the sprocket, forms a conveying and deflection gap for the imbricated formation. In the region of the conveying gap, the relevant grippers are then closed to transport the imbricated formation further. At the end of the conveying section, the transfer to a further transport belt is designed symmetrically in relation to the equipment at the start of the conveying section. In the deflection around the sprocket at the start and at the end of the conveying section, the endless conveying mechanism itself forms the support for the imbricated formation. Said mechanism must therefore be driven in the region of the sprockets and also between the latter at the same speed as the transport belts and, in addition, the grippers must clamp the products firmly in the plane of the conveying mechanism in order to avoid damage to the articles. The known conveying apparatus needs a considerable amount of space, in particular in the region of the deflection, and places close limits on the construction of the conveyor.